Game



Aug. s, 1933.

L. C. HENDERSON GAME Filed Sept. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l l. ivlllllil' r Aug. 8, 1933. L, c. HENDERSON GAME Filed Sept. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L C'. Hezwiezan.

Patented Aug. 8,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME Loyal C. Henderson, Asbury VPark, N. J.

Application September 8, 1932. Serial No. 632,243

This invention relates to improvements in 6 Claims.

games, and seeks, among other objects, to provide a game to be played by rolling balls on a table toward objectives not in the direct line of vision of the player, the position of said objectives to be reected to the eye of the player by a mirror carried by the table.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game which will be simple in construction, but

which will require some skill for its successful playing, the success to be achieved, of course, to depend upon 'the skill of the player.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game wherein release means are provided so that balls may be readily returned to a player 'after they have `found their way into the `various objectives provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide :a game employing means permitting a player to ascertain his score while playing the game.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a ygame having a playing board which is covered throughout the major portion of its length.

`Other and incidental objects of the invention not speciiically mentioned in the foregoing will kbe apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view-of the 'complete device on the line l--l of Fig. 2, looking in 'the direction indicated by the arrows,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device,

Fig. 3 is a transverse `sectional view -of the device taken on vthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

And Fig. 4 vis a fragmentary -vertical sectional view of the device on the -line 4-4 of Fig. '2.

at each end Ythereof are lend walls z5 l'and .6, .and

upstanding from the sides of the table bottom '-areiside walls 7 and 8. .As best seen in Fig. l .of the drawings, the end Wall-5 constitutes'the .upper Ymargin of a `panel 9 which imay be removable, if zdesired, Vto conceal 1a .coin drawer,

ball 1box,or .the ilike.

Extending beneath .the

`with a stop strip 12.

table bottom near each end thereof and bracing the upper ends of the legs are braces l0.

Mounted in parallel spaced relation above the table bottom 1 and extending throughout the major portion of the length thereabove is an inclined playing board 11. The board l1 termi nates in relatively close spaced relation to the end wall 5 and is provided at vits upper end edge Supporting the playing board 11 atV substantially centrally disposed points are spaced supporting blocks 13 and 14. The rear end margin of the board l1 is locked in a slot in the end wall 6, and, as best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the longitudinal side margins of the board 11 are locked in alined substantially parallel relation -to each other are partitions 18 dei-"ming ball lanes 19. As best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the wall members 16 o' the hazard l5 vare extended rearwardly in the same planes and terminate in the same transverse vertical plane withthe partitions 18. These extensions cooperate with the partitions vrto define more of the lanes 19. It should be understood that as many partitions as are desired may be employed, depending upon the' size of the game. AFixed 'to the surface of the stop wall 1'7 between the partitions 18 are preferably felt pads, or cushions, 20. Cushions 20 are tacked to the end wall 6 and to the rear portions of the side walls 7 and 8 so as to deaden the sound when balls come in Contact with said walls. Formed in the playing board 11 within the confines of the .lanes 19 and adjacent the vcushions 20 are circular openings l21 and extending through `the supporting block 14 centrally thereof ,and normally beneath the openings 21 isa trap door 22 which is held in slidable coactive relation with the lower face of the board .-11 by guide rstrips 23.

.Extending between the intermediate portions 'of .itheforward braces 4 is a cross brace 24, and

slots in the side walls 7 and 8. It will thus be swingingly connected with the brace 2e intermediate thereof is a lever 25 having a knob 2-3 at its upper end. As will be observed, the handle extends upwardly thro fh longitudinal slots in the table bottom, playing board, and cover, the latter to be described hereinafter. Mounted on the supporting blocl; i3 and on the unde" surface of the table bottom 1 directly beneath Said block 13 are pulleys 27 and 23 and connect-ed to the rear end of the trap door 22 and leading through the pulleys 27 and 28 and forwa y to the lever 25 is a pre erably wire cable 2l). it will be understood that when the lever 25 is si ted, the trap door 22 will be moved from be ath the openings 2l for releasing any balls which may have rolled to the ends of the lanes 19. A spring 3Q is connected to t. e door so that when the lever 25 is released, the door 22 will slide to its closed position underlying the openings 2l.

The numeral 31 indicates a cover which overlies the playing board 11 throughout substantially half ofits length and is disposed in uniform parallel spaced relation thereto. The cover 3l closes the hazard 15 at its upper side and also cooperates with the partitions to close the lanes 19. Formed in the cover 31 near its rear end and intermediate its width is an opening 32, and closing said opening is a glass pane 33, said glass pane overlying the lanes 19. The forward portion of the cover 31 is provided with a slot 34 to receive the upper end portion of the lever 25, mounted on the cover 31 and inclined upwardly and rearwardly to overhang the major portion of the glass pane 33 is a guard shield 35 which is supported at its base by a block 36. The guard shield will, of course, cut oif the direct line of vision through the pane from the forward end of the device. It should be noted that the glass pane 33 will be provided beneath the shield 35 with suitable numbers 20 indicating scores, the higher numbers, of course, being placed over the lanes requiring the most skillful shots. If desired, a suitable mechanical scoring device may be employed with the game.

Mounted on the cover 3l near its forward end is a perpendicularly disposed double faced mirror 37, while mounted at the rear end of the table and upstanding from the end wall 6 is a single faced mirror 38 which is slightly inclined forwardly.

When the game is to be played, a player rolls a ball, such as is indicated by the numeral 39, upon the inclined playing board 11 upwardly past the hazard l5, and, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the ball will normally carom oif the side wall 7, the end wall 6, and the side wall 8, and will usually find its way into one of the lanes 19. VIf it does not enter a lane, it will roll back to the player. Inasmuch as the various lanes are provided with different scoring numbers, the object will be to roll the ball into the lane having the highest scoring number. great amount of slrill to place a ball in the central lane and this will of course have the highest scoring number;

It will be seen that, as a cover 31 extends above the major portion of the playing board 11, the course of the ball cannot be followed directly by the player; However, the player may glance into the mirrors 37 and 38 and can follow the ball after it reaches the rear portion of the board 11. Inasmuch as two mirrors have In the present instance, it will require abeen provided, there will be a double reflection of the rear portion of the playing board 11. By referring again to Fig. l of the drawings and following the sight lines from an eye 40 which is located above the forward end of the device at a given height for a player, it will be seen that by looking into the mirror 37, the images of the balls in the lanes may be seen, and by looking into the mirror 38, the image of the playing board 11 reflected by the opposite face of the mirror 37 will seen. A novel feature of the game is, therefore, the embodiment of mirrors which afford the only manner of following thel bali after it has been rolled.

When it is desired to release the balls after playing, `the lever 25 is pulled forwardly for releasing the trap door 22 in the manner hereinbefore described. When the trap door is released, the balls will roll forwardly on the table bottom l. If desired a suitable coin controlled lock may be used in connection with the lever 25 so that the deposit of a coin will be required before the balls may be released.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a simple, yet attractive game which will afford much amusement to persons of all ages.

1 claim:

l. A device of the class described including a table bottom having a wall, a playing board mounted above the table bottom, a hazard carried on the playing board, partitions connected with the hazard and defining a lane, and a mirror on the table bottom for reflecting to a player' the image of a ball moving on the playing board past the hazard to be caromed olf the wall toward the lane.

2. A device of the class described including a table bottom having walls, a playing board mounted above the table bottom in spaced relation thereto, a cover mounted in spaced relation above the playing board and provided with an opening, a plane closing the opening, a.

hazard disposed beneath the pane and having partitionsconnected therewith to denne a lane, and a mirror carried by the table bottom for reflecting to a player the image of a ball rolled upon the playing board toward a wall to be caromed off said wall toward the lane, said lane Abeing visible through the pane and said cover obscuring from view the central portion of the board.

3. A device of the class described including a table bottom, means supporting the table bot- .tom in inclined position, a playing board mounted in spaced relation to the table bottom and having an opening, a hazard carried on the board, partitions on the hazard and disposed adjacent the opening, said partitions defining a lane, a trap door lying beneath the opening and normally closing said opening, means for controlling said trap door, and a mirror mounted on the table bottom for reflecting to a player the image of a ball moving on the playing board tobe caromed off the endwall into the lane, said ball to be released from said lane by the opening of the trap door.

a. A'device of the class described including a table bottom including side and end walls, a

playing board mounted in spaced relation above the table bottom, a hazard mounted on said playing board and having walls projected to form partitions, second partitions disposed between said rst mentioned partitions, all of said partitions defining lanes, a cover mounted in spaced relation above the playing board and obscuring the view of the major portion of the playing board, and a mirror carried by the table bottom for reiecting the image of a ball moving toward one of the lanes.

5. A device of the class described including a table bottom having side and end Walls, a playing board mounted in spaced relation above the table bottom, a cover mounted in spaced relation above the playing boards and having an opening, a pane closing the opening, a hazard disposed between the playing board and the cover, partitions connected with the hazard and defining lanes, said partitions being disposed beneath the pane, a shield mounted on the cover and partially obscuring the view through the pane, a mirror mounted on the cover in spaced relation to the pane whereby the image of an article in'a lane Will be reflected to a player, and a second mirror cooperating with said rst mentioned mirror for reflecting the image of an article moving fromA a Wall toward one of the lanes.

6. A device of the class described including a table bottom having side and end Walls, a playing board mounted above the table bottom, a cover overhanging a portion of the playing board and having an opening, a pane closing the opening, a shield overhanging the pane and obscuring the view through the pane from one end of the device, and a mirror for reflecting the image of an article carried beneath the pane.

LOYAL C. HENDERSON. 

